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Post by obiwan27 on Sept 28, 2010 20:10:01 GMT 12
Oh, poor Zac, the agony!!! lol
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Post by obiwan27 on Sept 28, 2010 16:59:32 GMT 12
I'm putting it down to Event Cinema's attempt to pay tribute to our Air Combat Force, after all it will be the last time any of the NZ public will ever see a Skyhawk flying again in NZ. Admittedly US Skyhawks in a movie but you get my drift..... Love how they have the movie genre listed as 'Classic'. I remember going to see it with my Fellow ATC, Air Force and Army mates back in 1986. We all agreed, shit movie but great flying sequences.
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Post by obiwan27 on Sept 28, 2010 15:57:07 GMT 12
Has anyone heard whether any of the foreign countries that New Zealand has regularly, willingly and generously given millions and millions of dollars to over many decades to help them cope with rebuilding after quakes, floods, psunamis, forest fires, hurricanes, famines etc have offered anything to New Zealand when it's our turn? Well Dave it took a while but the Tongan people had a radio-athon and have donated the equivalent of NZ$705K to the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Fund. www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christchurch/4174956/Massive-donation-from-Tonga-to-Chch
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Post by obiwan27 on Sept 27, 2010 20:00:50 GMT 12
For the record we are of Scottish origin :-)
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Post by obiwan27 on Sept 26, 2010 15:24:22 GMT 12
Ah, that's it I believe Dave.
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Post by obiwan27 on Sept 26, 2010 14:43:55 GMT 12
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Post by obiwan27 on Sept 26, 2010 14:26:38 GMT 12
Back around 1983 when I was still in the Air Training Corps I was staffing a SNCO course at Wigram during the school holidays. A few days before the end of the course we were treated to a flight in one of the NAATS F27s. My memory of the flight was that is was an extremely blustery day with rain showers about. Our first take off was aborted and the aircraft taxied back for some tlc from the ground crew that took about 30 minutes or so and then we were off into the wild blue yonder. It's the first ever flight that I have ever seen anyone turn green due to airsickness and spend the rest of the flight barfing into an airsick bag. Fortunately neither I nor any of the other cadets was affected and I was able to take some shots from the observation 'dome' on the port side of the aircraft. We flew up the coast as far north as Amberley and then headed back south of the city and up over the hill overhead Akaroa. Then back around the peninsula, flying up over Diamond Harbour and Lyttelton before heading back to land at Wigram. Unfortunately I only had a handful of shots left on my roll of film, how did we ever get on before digital cameras?
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Post by obiwan27 on Sept 25, 2010 20:36:31 GMT 12
Fantastic publication that I learned a lot from about the Spitfire and also our New Zealand pilot's contribution to the European theatre in WW2. The section about the restoration of PV270 was an eye opener, especially the test flying. It taught me a lot about what is involved in the ownership of historic aircraft such as these. When an aircraft such as PV270 is scheduled to fly at an airshow and for some reason is unable to make it I appreciate a lot more now that it wouldn't have been from a lack of effort by the aircraft owner/operator.
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Post by obiwan27 on Sept 25, 2010 10:35:40 GMT 12
I think something is up with stuff's moderators or their comment system, since I commented on that post and it didn't show up, with nothing in the comment that would invite moderation. I think there might be many more comments to come on that story. It's ok mumbles if you take a look now, there are 112 comments. maybe one of them is yours?
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Post by obiwan27 on Sept 25, 2010 10:10:19 GMT 12
Any one interested in pre ordering this book should contact us (contact details below). We are aiming for publication in early 2011. Regards Bob Anderson Publishing Manager Willsonscott Publishing International Ltd. PO Box 6006, Christchurch, 8442 New Zealand Phone: +64 3 342 3138| Fax: +64 3 342 3885 Email: promote@willsonscott.biz | Web: www.willsonscott.biz [/i] [/quote] Just email the above address with the subject line I suggested above and tell Bob you read about it here on the forum and you'll be sweet. he told me that he will back order it for me and just needed my address so that it can be couriered to me once they can supply.
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Post by obiwan27 on Sept 25, 2010 10:05:32 GMT 12
Brilliant news about the book Don. Pleased to hear that you'll be telling the truth of just how good our little A-4s were and what a steaming pile Helen and her gang were telling the public. If you're after pre-orders you can definitely put me down for one. Cheers and once again can't wait to see this book published. Tim. Soon as you let me know the title it will be going on my wishlist.... Dee Just send an email to the publisher with the subject line "Preorder of RNZAF Skyhawks/Alpha Four Kilo - Attention Bob Anderson" it worked for me.
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Post by obiwan27 on Sept 25, 2010 9:58:10 GMT 12
Don, are you after a seat for your office at home? ;-)
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Post by obiwan27 on Sept 25, 2010 9:31:05 GMT 12
Awesome pics!!! Will we see the same pics in some parts of the country, same aircraft, latex covered being towed along the road but with more modern vehicles in the near future. Here's hoping!!
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Post by obiwan27 on Sept 24, 2010 20:25:21 GMT 12
Thanks kiwiscanfly that was interesting and informative reading.
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Post by obiwan27 on Sept 24, 2010 8:23:56 GMT 12
TV One's 'Breakfast' programme is in town this morning. When Paul Henry was interviewing the PM about the reconstruction efforts needed for the area he flashed a cheque written out for 10k to be donated to the Red Cross appeal on the proviso that he get one of the Skyhawks. Cheeky sod, but nice to still have them out there in the public arena in some fashion. The PM said no, you can't have one but I'll donate 10k if you donate 10k. That shut Mr Henry up quick smart & I noticed he grabbed the cheque back pretty smartly......typical showboating media personality! Regarding the 3 month extension to the 'sale' I agree it is a waste of time and more money. I urge all concerned forum members to lobby the appropriate government ministers and the PM to say enough is enough, that they should stop being hoodwinked by this charlatan and gift the A4's to those institutes that ask for them. Email them at the following link. www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/AboutParl/GetInvolved/Contact/2/9/d/00PlibHvYrSayContact1-Contact-an-MP.htm
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Post by obiwan27 on Sept 23, 2010 17:44:42 GMT 12
Great link Don, thanks. Nice to hear from someone who knows what they are talking about and a positive view on our Strike capability. Even Paul Henry had something sensible to say!
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Post by obiwan27 on Sept 23, 2010 17:21:40 GMT 12
Hi Don, just discovered this thread and enjoyed reading through it apart from that perardua 'fellow'. I've sent an email to the publisher for my preorder. 2011 is going to rock!!!
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Post by obiwan27 on Sept 21, 2010 22:06:50 GMT 12
I posted the 'Stuff' article about the Skyhawk non-sale to my FB page along with a comment to the effect that the "F16 sale should have gone ahead imho". A friend of mine who lives and works in South Korea posted a reply along the lines that "...the Skyhawks and Strikemasters were crumbling, only kept flying by the skills of our Air Force technicians...We could not afford expensive combat aircraft, they certainly wouldn't be of any use to NZ..who would we use them against, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa?" I replied that his response seemed typical of the complacent/ignorant attitude of the average New Zealander and that they would have been of use to NZ and used the 'insurance' argument of having a capability that could be needed in the event the balloon went up in cooperation with our allies. I also bemoaned the tens of billions of dollars pumped into other areas while our Defence Force was left to languish. His (good natured) response was as follows:
"Chuckle, I love it when people claim I don't know what I am talking about simply because I disagree with their position. I have read extensively about defence matters, after all one part of my double major is political science. I also live a day's North Korean tank ride from the DMZ and we have a large Korean base in Wonju and see tanks, jets, helicopters and soldiers all the time. Now South Korea has a great reason for a strong miliatry including air strike capability, unlike NZ. The attack philosophy you espouse is part of the US military ideology that brought us smash hits like Vietnam and Iraq and unsatisfied with that wants to proudly introduce us to (ta daaaaa) Iran, just for fun. Not to mention brutal military puppet and client regimes around the globe. Saddam Hussein and the Shah of Iran being prime examples. When the French bombed the Rainbow warrior, where were our allies? The US, Australia, Britain? No bloody where that's where, they were quite happy to throw us to the wolves. We allowed the Aussies to bully us into buying frigates that were inferior in speed and range than the Aussie frigates, although at least our superior workmanship earned us a lions share of the money. The fact is any force big enough to project its power to NZ shores, will likely have to go through Australia first and whether it is Indonesia, China, or India (the only powers in the region remotely capable of this), we are screwed no matter how large our air strike capacity is. To be honest they have more than enough to worry them without invading NZ. NZ having an air strike capability benefits our allies NOT us. NZ does pull its weight in the international community and has large numbers of troops based all around the world. The sky is not falling, even if the Skyhawks are : ) The reason we are pumping money into health, education, infrastructure etc is because it has been run down for decades. In Korea they build stuff at least a decade BEFORE its needed, in NZ we build stuff a decade AFTER its needed."
Any thoughts/comments?
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Post by obiwan27 on Sept 21, 2010 16:53:03 GMT 12
www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/4149581/Skyhawk-giveaway-after-failed-saleOut of 58 comments on the above story about the Skyhawk sale it's about 50 who are either pissed off about the debacle/loss of the A4's and slag off the previous government's decision and 8 who take the negative line against our former frontline strike aircraft... Be interesting to watch the News tonight and see what if an coverage is made about this issue. An opportunity to score political points maybe but I doubt there will be any new developments Defence-wise due to current government commitments to the SCF bailout and Canterbury earthquake recovery. Glad that there is some coverage/debate, even if it will be too little too late imho.
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Post by obiwan27 on Sept 21, 2010 11:20:53 GMT 12
The last two pics in particular are awesome!! Amazing that the F111 and F18 are able to hold formation with the much slower aircraft, or was it a timing thing when taking the photos?
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